Donald Trump secured a significant victory at the US Supreme Court on Monday after the justices expanded presidential authority over independent federal regulators. However, the court also handed the president three notable defeats, underscoring that its conservative majority is not always aligned with his agenda.
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The rulings, issued on the second-to-last day of the court's current term, covered presidential powers, election rules, the Federal Reserve and one of Trump's long-running legal battles.
Court Expands Presidential Authority
In its most consequential decision, the Supreme Court overturned a nearly century-old precedent that had limited a president's ability to remove officials serving on independent regulatory agencies.
Writing for the six-member conservative majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said officials exercising executive authority must remain accountable to the president and, ultimately, to voters through the elected executive.
The decision reverses a landmark ruling dating back to the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and gives Trump, as well as future presidents, broader authority to dismiss and replace officials leading agencies that Congress had intended to operate independently.
Although the case centred on the Federal Trade Commission, the ruling is expected to affect numerous agencies responsible for elections, communications, labour, finance and environmental regulation.
Trump welcomed the decision on his Truth Social platform, saying it had "greatly" increased presidential power.
Federal Reserve Ruling Limits Trump's Reach
Despite the sweeping ruling on executive authority, the court refused to extend that reasoning to Trump's effort to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.
In a 5-4 decision, Roberts and conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined the court's three liberal justices in allowing Cook to challenge her dismissal.
Trump has accused Cook of mortgage fraud, although the dispute has also unfolded against the backdrop of his criticism of the Federal Reserve's refusal to lower interest rates.
Roberts wrote that Cook should have the opportunity to contest the allegations against her, while warning of the serious consequences that could arise if presidents were able to exert direct control over the central bank.
The decision represented a significant setback for Trump, whose administration has repeatedly criticised the Federal Reserve's monetary policy.
Court Rejects Trump on Mail-In Ballots
Trump also lost a separate case involving mail-in voting.
In another 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the authority of states to count mail-in ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but arrive afterwards, rejecting Trump's challenge.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett, joined by Roberts and the court's three liberal justices, wrote that the US Constitution gives states broad authority to determine the "time, place and manner" of congressional elections.
The majority also dismissed Trump's arguments that mail-in voting is particularly vulnerable to fraud, indicating that such policy questions should be addressed through the political process rather than the courts.
Following the ruling, Trump renewed his call for Congress to pass legislation restricting mail-in voting. Although the Republican-controlled House has approved the measure, it has not advanced in the Senate.
Appeal in Carroll Defamation Case Rejected
The Supreme Court also quietly declined to hear Trump's appeal of the $5 million civil judgment awarded to writer E. Jean Carroll after a jury found he had defamed her.
The justices provided no explanation for declining the case, leaving intact the 2023 verdict.
Trump criticised the decision on social media and vowed to continue challenging what he described as "lawfare" against him.
The ruling effectively ends Trump's effort to overturn the $5 million judgment, although he is continuing to appeal a separate case in which a jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in damages.
Monday's decisions highlighted the complex relationship between Trump and a Supreme Court with a conservative majority. While the court significantly strengthened presidential authority over independent agencies, it also blocked the president on key priorities involving the Federal Reserve, mail-in voting and one of his most prominent legal appeals.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 30 June 2026
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